US forces initiated airstrikes against Iran at 6 p.m. ET, targeting military capabilities linked to threats against commercial shipping.
The strikes were a response to an attack by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces on American service members in Jordan the previous night.
The US military stated that the operation aimed to degrade Iran’s capacity to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
United States forces commenced a fresh wave of airstrikes against Iran on Saturday, July 18, acting on direct orders from the Commander in Chief, in a move that escalates military tensions across two flashpoints in the region.
The strikes, which began at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, were directed at Iran’s infrastructure and were specifically intended to weaken Tehran’s ability to endanger commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints through which a significant portion of global oil trade flows.
The timing of the operation was shaped in part by an assault carried out by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces against American service members stationed in Jordan on Tuesday night. Washington said the airstrikes were also intended to deliver swift punishment for that attack.
Officials framed the campaign as a direct and calculated response to what they described as a pattern of Iranian aggression, both against US personnel and against the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
The development has started generating mixed reactions. Sam1345 said that the US should attack the Iranian government rather than infrastructure, stating “The evil regime cares only about its own survival and the safety of its leaders. Everyone else, including civilian infrastructure, is expendable. The United States must change its strategy and impose a cost the regime can no longer afford for its continued atrocities.”
Another commenter claimed that President Donald Trump is destroying the US economy with the war, saying “Trump is destroying the economy with these pointless wars. For income under $50k, groceries are not affordable for 82%. I supported him for America First, not endless wars & sky-high prices. When do we get off this ride?”
The US government requires all dual national citizens, including children, to enter and exit the country using a valid US passport. Dual nationals who apply for an ESTA using a foreign passport risk having the authorization denied or cancelled by the Department of Homeland Security. US citizens living abroad are urged to check their passport expiry dates before travelling, as passports must generally be valid for at least six months.
